Re: [Fsfe-uk] Funding Open Source

[Paul]

Hi,

> > IP and the licence would definately (definitely :-) ) be a problem,
> > especially with so few
> > companies actually understanding fully the GPL, having been fed so much
> > FUD by the big companies over it over the years.
> 
> if the companies sign up they will understand the license. It will be
> self-filtering. There are other ways of getting funding other than
> through private companies. Government funding is a possibility and I'm
> working on some other ways of generating development income. 

This doesn't always follow. There was discussion (with me) that as work
was paying me to get to the NIA this year, they could claim something
over on Scribus to attempt to make money from it. Even after presenting
the GPL, it wasn't easily accepted that there was no money in it.

Good luck on the government funding.

> > In normal circumstances, the IP and copyright and licencing conditions
> > would become those of the person paying the money. However, in free
> > software, the IP and copyright are normally those of the author(s) and
> > licenced how they see fit (typically, GPL or LGPL). It is definately a
> > difficult situation.
> 
> Not if the development costs are lower. The choice is pay massive
> amounts and hold the copyright or pay substantially less and have it
> GPL. 

Again, it doesn't always follow. From bitter experience, companies who
put anything in always want something out and rarely settle for the
qudos.

> > It certainly is a minefield, but I'm sure the obstacles can be shoved
> > out of the way and this really worthwhile project pushed forward. Good
> > luck Neil :-)
> 
> Yes, sounds a good idea.

Perhaps you, Neil and Jason should get together over this.

TTFN

Paul
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